Girls Gymnastics: Ebeling joins two Niles West gymnasts at sectional
BY DAN SHALIN Contributor February 6, 2012 2:26PM
Northfield Friday, 2/3/12 Niles West's Jenny Marin competing on the Vault during Friday's regional meet held at New Trier High School. | Brian O'Mahoney~for Sun-Times Media
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Updated: March 10, 2012 8:28AM
Niles North senior gymnasts Brittany Ebeling fell off the beam Saturday — and she couldn’t have been happier.
That’s because Ebeling’s tumble occurred during practice, and it resulted from teammate Kaitlin Karlin pulling her down during a hug that celebrated Ebeling’s qualification for the Niles North Sectional.
Ebeling advanced on floor exercise, earning one of 12 at-large spots to the sectional, which takes place at 6:30 p.m. today (Thursday) in Niles North’s Maine Gym. Ebeling is the only member of the home team to reach the loaded meet, which features state powerhouses Carmel and Stevenson among the six team entries.
Ebeling scored 8.725 on floor at the Feb. 1 Stevenson Regional. She had to wait until the completion of all the regionals on Friday to learn if her season, and career, would continue.
During the two-day waiting period, Niles North head coach Charlie Friedman tried to temper her gymnast’s expectations.
“I actually told (Ebeling) that she probably wasn’t going to make it. She was disappointed (about her regional performance) and I didn’t want her to be disappointed twice,” the coach said. “I said there was a possibility, but it was not likely.
“But we found out Friday and told her Saturday and she was very excited. I looked it up (online) and had Katie (Karlin) tell her. (Ebeling) was sitting on the beam and they started screaming and hugged and she got pulled off the beam in all the excitement.”
Ebeling actually would have had a higher score but stepped out of bounds during her routine.
Earlier this week, Friedman said Ebeling was hoping to increase the degree of difficulty by switching a double-full in place of a one-and-a-half.
“(A double-full) is what we’re working on and she made a few in practice on Saturday,” Friedman said. “We want to add that. It would be good for her to do that in her last meet.”
Niles North (122.700) ended up fourth at the five-team Stevenson Regional.
Niles West
Two Wolves gymnasts grabbed at-large berths to the Niles North Sectional.
Freshman Catherine Steegmueller advanced after finishing 10th in the all-around (34.125) at Friday’s New Trier Regional. Also, senior Jenny Marin prolonged her high school career on bars (8.45) and floor (8.775). At the regional, Marin was eighth in both events.
Other Wolves recorded performances that would have advanced, but the Niles North Sectional is regarded as the state’s best.
“Had our regional fed into Glenbard North (Sectional), then Kelly (Sanks) and Valerie (Fung) would have made it, and Jenny (Marin) and Catherine (Steegmueller) would have made it in more events,” Niles West head coach Susan Arcus said. “But our sectional is going to be phenomenal gymnastics to watch. We think it’s very much a mini-state meet.”
Earlier this week, Arcus said both Marin and Steegmueller were looking to work new moves into their routines for the sectional.
Arcus said the whole postseason process has been about gaining experience for the youngster Steegmueller.
“It’s all new for her,” the coach said. “Just having two judges is new. She asked me if it mattered which one she saluted first. It’s so different going into regional, sectional and state. It will be a great experience. Not only to be a part of it, but for her to see (other girls performing) some of the tricks she’ll want to focus on (learning) before next season.”
Niles West (132.600) finished fourth at the five-team New Trier Regional.
Maine East
The Blue Demons (92.700) came in fifth at the five-team Stevenson Regional on Feb. 1 and were unable to qualify any gymnasts for the Niles North Sectional.
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